Stanbic Bank Ghana partners ICBC to promote tourism and trade

Stanbic Bank Ghana and the Industrial Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), have joined hands to promote tourism and trade between Ghana and China.

Under an initiative called ‘I Go Ghana’ loyalty programme, Chinese tourists who visit Ghana will receive discounts and special offers whenever they use ICBC cards at selected travel, hospitality and lifestyle merchants in the country.

The first part of the programme would be launched on Monday, October 15, 2018 in Accra.

The programme is jointly run by the Standard Bank Group, Stanbic Bank Ghana’s parent group, and the Industrial Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) with support from the Ghana Tourism Authority.

Speaking before the launch of the programme in Accra, Lincoln Mali, Standard Bank’s Group Head of Card and Emerging Payments, said: “China has emerged as a key economic partner for Africa in recent years and through the ‘I Go Ghana’ programme, Standard Bank wants to strengthen relations between Ghana and China through trade and tourism. Such an arrangement, we believe is good for the tourism industry and the economies of the two countries”.

To further support this initiative and strengthen the Africa-China corridor, we as Stanbic, have been hard at work to enable the acceptance of Union Pay International cards on our Point of Sale devices. Customers travelling from China can now use their standard issue Union Pay International card to make purchases at all participating I-Go Ghana merchants – acceptance of this Scheme will be rolled out over the duration of 2018 into 2019 to non-participating merchants.

With China as the world’s number one source market for tourism with 129 million outbound trips in 2017 and Chinese tourists would boost the economy of any country that they may visit.

According to Akwasi Agyeman, CEO of the Ghana Tourism Authority, “We are excited about this initiative by Stanbic Bank Ghana and the Industrial Commercial Bank of China (ICBC).

China remains an important in-bound destination for us at the Ghana Tourism Authority and we have taken appropriate steps and measures to ensure that the local industry is well equipped to host the Chinese traveller. This collaboration further opens up the opportunity for us to enter the Chinese market, and ensure that Ghana remains an interesting and enticing destination.”

“Ghana, being our home, we believe in driving her growth. That is why we see this partnership to bring to the people of Ghana and China closer as an opportunity to unlock the untapped potential that contact between the two countries offers. Deepening Ghana-Sino contacts will undoubtedly deliver even more benefits to the economy and underline our total commitment to driving growth,” said Alhassan Andani, Chief Executive of Stanbic Bank Ghana.

Deputy CEO of ICBC Africa, Mr. Gang Sun stated that with the further development of ICBC internationalization, the bank would continue to provide its superior products and services in overseas market. Since the launch of the first season of China-Africa transnational promotion, I Go South Africa in November 2017, as well as the I Go Kenya in May 2018, ICBC, has provided more convenient transnational services to the credit card holders in Africa.

In the future, ICBC and Standard Bank Group will continue to promote the “I Go” campaigns in other African countries to provide new opportunities for economic tourism Exchanges between China and Africa.